POOLS FOR DELIGHT 
209 
may assign to a comprehensive garden, there are almost unlimited 
possibilities for a great variety of plants, and a succession of bloom 
over which to rejoice. 
Sometimes there is too shady a spot, under trees, along a wall or 
beside the house, to grow grass or most plants. Dig this spot 
out, it is suggested, with irregular outlines. Vary the slope of the 
sides of it toward a three-foot depth. Then prepare cement and 
sand, and pour in a layer of two to three inches thick. Mould it to 
the lines or contours desired, and lay in a piece of wire-netting 
(or some other reinforcing, tying material), and pour on two to 
three inches more of concrete; in which one may embed, while 
soft, boulders or field-stones, the better to simulate nature in pre¬ 
paring an informal pool. 
Let this “set” for three or four days. Then fill with water, and 
allow it to remain for several days. After this, drain off all the 
water (because there is generally something in fresh cement chemi¬ 
cally bad for both fish and plants which the first filling and stand 
of water carries all off in it). It may then be safely filled for use. 
If one wishes to grow aquatic plants, soil must be prepared 
(see page 210) for them. The general proportion for this is one 
part of well-rotted cow-manure. If the plants are to be grown 
directly in the pool (not in pots or tubs), put in six inches of 
manure at the bottom, then a layer of six inches of topsoil. Plant 
the bulbs directly in this and cover with four to six inches of 
sand, or fine gravel, to keep that transparency in the water neces¬ 
sary to enable one to see the darting fish, which are so essential 
aside from their beauty, for they feed on mosquito larvae. 
In preparing the pool, if one has a tiny one, it may be refilled 
and drained with the garden hose. But, if it is somewhat larger, 
it is wisest to provide a drain-pipe within the concrete bed, by 
which the water may escape. This method of drainage may be of 
the simplest—by allowing it to enter the sewerage directly; or it 
may be converted by pipes to be utilized in watering certain other 
parts of the garden; or, what may be most elaborate, a series of 
overflowing, shallow pools may be arranged, terraced one a bit 
above the other with the lowest spilling over to create a marsh, or 
Details of 
Construction 
Special 
Treatment 
of Fish or 
Plants Used 
Soil Prep¬ 
aration for 
Aquatic 
Plants 
Suggestions 
For 
Drainage 
